Irish Distillers has announced the release of the Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2, an Irish whiskey that celebrates the craftsmanship of both Ireland and France in a unique fusion.
This second edition bottling is now available in selected global markets including Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, the Czech Republic, Germany, Singapore, and Global Travel Retail for an RRP of €5,000 (£4,388).
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2
This expression is the second release from Midleton in collaboration with Taransaud Cooperage in France. The cooperage is renowned for creating rare and handcrafted French oak casks.
Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman, is the man behind Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2, combining Irish whiskey making and exceptional French craftsmanship to create a whiskey that exudes luxury and bolsters Midleton’s presence in the premium whiskey market.
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To create the expression, O’Gorman hand-selected various grain and single pot still whiskeys, each of which had been matured through decades spanning the 1980s to the early 2000s in American oak bourbon barrels. These whiskeys were then carefully married together before undergoing a four-year finishing period on T5 casks.
T5 is the commonly used name for five-year air-dried oak from the forest of Tronçais. The four-year finishing period imbued the whiskey with “a succulent texture, enhanced by flavours of decadent white chocolate and fruit nuances, with a gentle lingering spice.”
This exceptional whisky is presented in a carefully crafted glass bottle that features the signature duck egg blue of the Midleton Very Rare collection. The bottle is housed in a wooden cabinet made by Manufacture Jacquemin, a traditional woodcraft business with three generations of expertise, located in the Jura Mountains of Eastern France.
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Crafted from rare Forêt de Tronçais oak, the cabinet is decorated with intricate laser-cut details that evoke the forest’s rich heritage. Inside, the design has evolved from the tree branch motifs of the first edition to a refined depiction of the wood grain.
A New Dimension
Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery, explains: “The second edition of Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais adds a new dimension to the foundation we have built; this time, we have increased the proportion of pot still whiskey whilst also increasing the refill-cask element. The numerous years of maturation allow the pot still distillate to express itself fully, giving it an extra layer of complexity that adds a wonderful stone fruitiness and soft clove spice on the nose, along with an abundant creaminess and mouth-watering taste experience.
“The influence of the T5 oak over four years takes this liquid to the next level, adding herbaceous and floral notes, along with flavours of caramel, toffee and cinnamon. We are constantly innovating while staying true to the distinctive character and essence of Midleton Very Rare and I am incredibly excited looking to the future of this collection.”
Jacquelin de Pracomtal, Vice President at Taransaud Cooperage, added: “We are incredibly proud to continue this collaboration with Midleton Distillery. Our shared dedication to craftsmanship and excellence is reflected in each cask and this second edition showcases the extraordinary balance between the cask’s fine grain and the whiskey’s depth of flavour.”
Tasting Notes
Courtesy of Midleton Very Rare:
(48% ABV)
Nose: Opens with sweet-scented aromas of vanilla and sugar cane, complemented by crisp and zesty notes of orange and sweet pear. Enhanced by the French oak, this wonderfully complex whiskey carries an array of spices, with cinnamon and nutmeg to the fore accompanied by the subtle undertones of candied ginger, heather honey, and white chocolate tasting notes. The oak influence continues to build with intriguing antique wood notes, creating an exceptionally balanced whiskey.
Taste: Succulent texture with stone fruits and vanilla cream in abundance, all the while the pot still spices slowly build in tandem with the delicate herbal notes and soft floral nuances. Gentle tannins linger in the background enhancing the flavour of sweet fruits while hints of clove spice and cinnamon showcase the oak’s measured influence from the many years of ageing.
Finish: Satisfyingly long with the pot still spices the first to fade, allowing the oak and stone fruits to gently linger until the very end.
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